Breath alcohol elimination rate as a function of age, gender, and drinking practice

The objective of this study was to determine whether breath alcohol elimination rate varies as a function of age, gender, and drinking practice, factorially combined. Eighty-four men and 84 women drank enough alcohol to produce peak BrACs of .110 g/210 L for heavy and moderate drinkers and BrACs of .090 g/210 L for light drinkers. An Intoxilyzer 5000 was used to generate the concentration-time profiles. Mean (M) elimination rates (g/210 L/h) were found to be higher for women (N = 84, M = .0182, SD = .0033) than for men (N = 84, M = .0149, SD = .0029), F(1, 144) = 57.292, p < .001; higher for heavy drinkers (N = 56, M = .0176, SD = .0038) than for light and moderate drinkers combined (N = 112, M = .0160, SD = .0032), F(1, 144) = 12.434, p < .01; and higher for older subjects (51-69 years, N = 42, M = .0180, SD = .0038) than younger subjects (19-50 years, N = 126, M = .0161, SD = .0033), F(1, 144) = 14.324, p < .001. None of the two-way interactions (age × gender, age × drinking practice, gender × drinking practice) or the three-way interaction (age × gender × drinking practice) was statistically significant. Limitations of the current study and suggestions for further research are discussed.